The Solo Way
by SouthPassage
Summary: Legends EU 24 ABY. Jaina is home on Coruscant from the Jedi Academy and discusses her concerns with her father when Han and Leia's wedding anniversary does not go as planned.


This story takes place in the Legends Universe 24 years ABY and about a year before the NJO series.

As night settled over Galactic City on Coruscant, Jaina Solo looked out the large transparisteel window in the great room of the Solo apartment. The fifteen-year-old had been appreciating spending a few days home with her parents before undertaking a mission with her aunt Mara to the Outer Rim. She was not, however, enjoying the hushed voices coming from her parents' bedroom upstairs. While she could not make out the words, she did not sense the lighthearted banter she had grown accustomed to hearing from her parents over the years. She glanced upstairs but quickly spun around as she saw her mother Leia Organa-Solo exit the bedroom.

"Jaina, I have an emergency meeting with the Defense Council. You two should order out for dinner. I'm not sure how late I'll be. Can we have lunch together tomorrow before you leave?" Leia questioned as she hurriedly descended the stairs.

"Don't worry about it if you can't, Mom. I know you're busy," Jaina said with a slight edge to her voice.

Leia looked regretfully at her daughter. "I'm sorry. I was hoping to spend more time with you before you left. I should be back before you go to sleep, but if not, I'll plan lunch with you before leaving for the Senate in the morning."

Jaina nodded an affirmation. Leia gave her daughter a small, sad smile and rushed out of the apartment.

Jaina turned back to look out the window. Her father Han Solo came down the stairs a few minutes later and unceremoniously collapsed on the couch, turning the holoprojector to the smashball game just beginning between the Corellian Dreadnaughts and Infuriated Savages. Han looked over his shoulder at his daughter still standing by the window.

"Should be a good match tonight. I bet Lando more than I should have, but there's no way the Dreadnaughts won't win," Han said with a mischievous glint to his eyes.

"Don't tell your Mom," he finished with a wink.

Jaina rolled her eyes and plopped down, much like her father had, on the couch. She was still too distracted thinking about her mother's abrupt departure to focus much on the game. However, she knew she should try since she so rarely saw her father. She could also sense that he was trying to sidetrack both of them from his recent conversation with her mother. Jaina found herself saying, "What's their record?"

"10-4-1, I think. Not sure. Haven't followed too closely lately...I just can't have Lando thinking his team is better," Han gave her his trademark lopsided grin, but it didn't quite reach his eyes today.

They sat in silence for a few minutes watching as the game began.

 _It's now or never,_ Jaina thought. "Dad, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah. Shoot."

"How have you put up with Mom walking out on important moments over the years? You two were supposed to be celebrating your anniversary tonight, and she just leaves for yet another 'emergency meeting', " Jaina finished her outburst with more than a hint of sarcasm.

—

Han rubbed his hand over his face, sighing as he did. _Well, I guess I'm done watching this game_ , he thought, using the remote to turn off the holoprojector. Truth be told, he was disappointed the night had not gone to plan but knew he would be able to spend time with Leia later. Han also understood that he had to choose his words carefully. Despite his defending his wife's frequent absences from their home due to her Chief of State duties over the years, Jaina's resentment had undoubtedly continued to grow. Han closed his eyes for a few moments gathering his words.

"Jaina, did I ever tell you the story of the day I knew I loved your mom?" Han began.

"What, right before you were about to be put in the carbon freeze? The whole 'I love you, 'I know' moment? Yeah, I've heard that story once or twice," Jaina said, rolling her eyes for what Han was sure had to be about the hundredth time that day.

Han smirked slightly. "That not romantic enough for you teenagers these days? No, it was much earlier than that. Your mother and I were on some mission on a backwater planet I can't even remember the name of a few months after your uncle and I blew the Death Star into oblivion."

"Things were going south like they did on almost every mission we went on together," he continued, shaking his head. "I never understood it. We could both go a dozen missions without each other and not have a single thing go wrong. Put us together, and someone was surely going to get shot at."

Han noted he had piqued Jaina's interest now. He knew despite his many efforts he would not change her opinion of her mother; Jaina would come to her own realizations as she matured. While he hoped Jaina would never have to choose between spending time with her family and saving the galaxy, he was cognizant that was not the Solo and Skywalker way; they cared too much about the welfare of others to put their own personal wants and desires first. Early in her life, he realized Jaina had inherited that trait, and he suspected her priorities would be tested all too soon.

Han was shaken from his thoughts by Jaina's brusque _Well?_

Han smiled at her impatience, which was so much like his own. Jaina had always been closer to Han; their personalities and interests typically aligned. He was afraid this line of questioning resulted from her concern for him: concern that he was unhappy and often spending time alone now that her and her brothers were training on Yavin. He had to admit he had yet to fully adjust to the quiet now that the kids were out of the apartment; however, he was not dissatisfied with his life. He had never loved his wife more and enjoyed having more of her undivided attention at home, although nights like this still happened occasionally. Additionally, he finally had time to make some upgrades on the Falcon that he had put off for years while raising a family and was even doing some consulting work for a large trading company.

"Dad, where did you go?" Jaina asked, waving her hand in front of his face.

"Just thinking. Scary, I know. Where was I?" Han contemplated. "Oh, yeah. Your mom and I were on some backwater planet obtaining gods-know-what supplies to keep the Rebellion afloat that week. We were picking up the last sled when we heard an explosion nearby. There was a local dispute going on and we had gotten caught in the middle of it. I was about 50 meters ahead of her on my way back to the Falcon when I realized she wasn't following me. She was crouched down by a young girl who was sitting there clutching onto her now dead mother. I ran back to Leia and grabbed her arm, yelling at her to get to the ship. She wouldn't listen. Eventually, I picked up the little girl and pulled Leia into an abandoned alley with me. Through the girl's tears, we learned explosion had killed her mom and the rest of her family was about 20 kilometers away through a forest. I felt bad about what happened to the girl but your mom's safety was my priority.

"However, I knew she wouldn't leave until we reunited that girl with her family, " Han continued, "So we started off on foot across the forest. We didn't run into any trouble so we eventually stopped for the night. Leia insisted on taking first watch so I laid down to catch a few hours of sleep. I woke to hear Leia quietly comforting the girl, telling her things would get better. The girl asked her how she knew. Leia told her an abridged version about losing her family but that she had friends she could count on. The girl asked if I was one of them. Leia smiled and said yes, which was a surprise in itself. We didn't always get along back then."

Jaina gave him another eye roll. She had heard those stories, too, of her parent infamous fights in the early days of the Rebellion from the Rogues.

"To make a long story short, we reunited the girl with her family the next day. Once we were safely in hyperspace heading back to base, I asked Leia why she had risked the mission over this little girl. She said that while she couldn't bring down the Empire by herself or correct all the injustices in the galaxy, she could help this little girl. She also told me I wasn't quite the mercenary I wanted everyone to believe and kissed my cheek, leaving the room. And that was it for me although it took me awhile longer to admit it even to myself."

—

Jaina and Han sat in silence for a few minutes. She was not quite sure what to say in response to her father's story. She had never doubted he loved her mother deeply, but he did not usually speak the words out loud. Finally, she broke the silence, "So because you admire her sacrifices to save others, you're ok with her not spending tonight with you?"

"Well, sure I was looking forward to tonight, but it all turned out ok. I was able to spend some time with my favorite daughter. And anyway, your mom promised to make it up to me when she got home," Han finished with waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Gross, Dad," Jaina groaned but couldn't completely suppress a smile. "I guess I just don't fully understand you letting her off the hook when she has to cancel plans so frequently."

"Jaina, there's been so many times over the years we were worried we'd never see the other again. It puts minor things like a delayed anniversary celebration into perspective," Han stated honestly. "Plus, your mom would not be the woman I fell in love with if she wasn't concerned about protecting others, even at a late night Defense Council meeting. I know you resent your mom not always being around while you were growing up but she always did the best she could juggling all of her responsibilities."

Jaina was not prepared for the conversation to turn to her and her mother's relationship tonight. Her father had put her at ease regarding his marriage for the time being so it was time to change the subject, "So what are we doing for dinner, Dad?"

—-

After Han and Jaina finished preparing, eating, and cleaning up dinner, she hugged her father goodnight and headed to bed knowing she would have a busy day preparing to leave Coruscant tomorrow. Jaina decided to meditate for a few minutes before turning in. However, the minutes quickly turned into an hour before she realized it. Noticing she was now thirsty, she slipped downstairs to obtain a glass of water.

Upon her approach to the kitchen, she heard her father loudly laughing at a story her mother was telling. Their voices became lower and completely stopped as she peered around the corner. Her father was now kissing her mother who was sitting on the counter, the bottle of Alderaanian wine her father had been in the process of opening abandoned next to her. Completely forgetting about her water, Jaina muttered _Gross_ for the second time that night but didn't even try to suppress her smile as she turned and walked back up to her room, her fears about her father and his relationship with her mother put to rest for now.

My first story! Please leave a review if you enjoyed it!


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